More Than Smoke And Shadows
by Kaara
Summary: On a mission with one Yamanaka Ino, Hyuuga Neji learned an important lesson; never judge a kunoichi by the lies they build around themselves. NejiIno.
1. ANBUs Are Generally Batshit

**Title:** More Than Smoke And Shadows.  
><strong>By:<strong> Kaara.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Naruto is owned by Kishimoto.  
><strong>Rating:<strong> R, for language and sexual/as well as other things implications.  
><strong>Note:<strong> Easing back slowly into the fandom. Still writing Ino fics; the story of my life. This will be multiple chapters. Updates will be random but hopefully consistent enough to not make you resent me to the point of being homicidal (some reviewers scare me, seriously). Enjoy, hopefully?

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**Chapter One: **ANBUs Are Generally Batshit (And We All Know It).**  
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"Eagle here. The perimeter is secured. Jackal, Crane; move in. West Entrance, three doors to the left. Retrieve item and exit. Absolutely zero contact – hundred percent stealth. I repeat, zero contact. Rendezvous point – .7.4 South East. I repeat – .7.4 South East. Hound, Monkey; prepare for backup and transportation. Stay invisible at any cost."

"Copy that. Jackal and Crane, moving in. Out."

"Copy that. Hound and Monkey, already in position. Out."

Static buzzed through the silence for a few more seconds until the silhouette finally switched off its communication device, slinking back and blending into the shadows once again, provided by dense leaves of its perch. Its stylised porcelain mask gleamed bone white under treacherous moonlight, crimson swirls decorating an otherwise bare cover as the silhouette resumed its vigilant surveillance of the situation at hand. The impressive compound of a mansion twenty feet ahead was its primary concern, and it tensed slightly when two shadows flickered for a split second at the corner of its vision, before disappearing into the main building.

The branch creaked when the silhouette leaned slightly forward, one gloved hand gripping the gnarled surface for support and another tapping the seconds away on its thigh. It waited for any sign of disturbance – two guards chattered loudly as they ambled through the corridor, dangerously close to the exit point – and relaxed soon enough when its communication device cackled to life.

"Jackal's reporting. Item retrieval's a success. Advancing to rendezvous point now."

"Midnight's in five minutes. You have three."

"Copy that. We're out."

The occupants of the mansion continued to slumber in peace even as the silhouette gave the compound one last searching sweep, checking and re-checking to make sure that no evidence had been left behind during the infiltration. The guards were merrily ensconced over a small bonfire in the backyard, drinking sloppily and oblivious of what had taken place just minutes before. Satisfied that it was a job well done (it didn't expect any less in the first place), it stilled for a moment and closed its pulsating white eyes, opening them again once the pulses abated.

Hyuuga Neji adjusted his mask and, like any self-respecting ninja, disappeared into the consuming darkness without a trace.

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His squad members were already waiting when he touched down onto the grassy field just outside of the small town, white masks attached to shadows just like him. The moon was thankfully hidden behind a parade of dark clouds by the time he arrived – dark nights were a ninja-on-mission's best friend – and Neji directed a curt nod towards Jackal, who was lounging against a tree besides the slender form of Crane.

"Status report."

Crane detached itself from the tree and took a step towards him. "Item successfully relayed to Hound and Monkey. They're already on their way back right at this moment. Approximately half an hour until arrival at headquarter."

"Jackal."

"No rogue bees around our honey pot this time, boss." There was a trace of mischief lacing the otherwise monotonous voice and Crane lightly smacked Jackal's armoured arm. "I mean. All ours. Negative on outside interference."

"Move out."

"Yes, sir."

The journey back to Konoha was fortunately uneventful, which was rare, courtesy of the outbreak of skirmishes around the borders of Fire Country after the Sound Village had collapsed from the lack of leadership material since Orochimaru's death. Apparently, those rogue ninjas that Orochimaru accumulated during his reign had taken on venting out their frustration and homicidal urges on unsuspecting villages and towns, as well as ninjas on missions who were unlucky enough to cross path with them. Missions had been known to fail due to outside interferences rather than a team's incompetence.

The Fifth Hokage had been livid when a genin was killed during one of the attacks.

ANBU squads and jounin teams, aside from Hunter squads, were dispatched actively to seek out and annihilate rogue ninjas, which only meant that everyone's workload had tripled in amount. Regular missions still kept on coming and thanks to the sudden need for bodyguards, especially for businessmen with caravans, those missions had multiplied too. It was a strain to keep up with the incoming requests and sometimes, even the elites were sent to deal with trivialities and cater to rich sods' paranoia.

Neji signalled his comrades to a stop upon arriving at the gates surrounding the village, dropping from the tree to greet the guard on duty that night. They had reached Konoha about an hour after the estimated time of Hound and Monkey's arrival, and he needed to make sure that those two transporters had arrived safely. Every ninja was required to report at the Gate and declare their status if they were to enter Konoha, as safety measures had been tightened after the Sand Invasion and uncomfortably regular visits from Akatsuki members.

The guard, who turned out to be one Shiranui Genma, grinned at Neji, needle pressed between his lips. "Busy night for ya all?"

"Genma-san." He nodded in acknowledgement, flashing his identification tag at the jounin. "Requesting permission to enter for ANBU Squadron Nine. Eagle. Jackal. Crane."

"Scroll, please."

Neji popped open a small pouch strapped to his thigh and fished out a palm-sized scroll, handing it to Genma. He waited patiently as the jounin did several quick hand seals to verify the scroll's authenticity, scribbled something into a tattered logbook and returned the scroll to its owner. Jackal and Crane dropped soundlessly behind him, close enough to show their own tags and masks. Neji observed the process in silence, conscious of hidden eyes of the designated ANBU squad for the night around them. One wrong movement, one hint of hostility and they would be taken down there and then.

Guilty until proven innocent, that was Konoha's new policy.

"Identifications confirmed and request's granted." Genma shifted the metal needle to the other side of his mouth and gestured at someone inside the tower to his left. "Oi, Suzuha! Open up!"

A word of polite gratitude escaped Neji's lips, as a door jerked open at one corner of the massive gates. He turned to the jounin and said, "Genma-san, I need to ask for the status of ANBU Squadron Nine. Hound. Monkey. Have they reported in?"

"Gimme a second." Genma thumbed through the logbook and stopped at one particular page. "Yeah, they did. An hour before you guys. Headed straight for the Tower, I think."

"Thank you."

The jounin's grin softened into a smile and he inclined his head. "Same here. Keep up the good work."

They exchanged nods with another guard at the other side of the gate, before leaping onto the nearest rooftop and proceeded to head straight towards the Tower, reduced to black-as-midnight blurs and nothing more. There were still people around, off-duty ninjas mostly, walking down the streets and stumbling out of bars and clubs at such late hour. Neji observed them with disinterest, taking in the sight of disgruntled frowns, intoxicated grins and uncoordinated limbs. He never had the opportunity to indulge in such careless behaviour, and as one of them pitched forward into a ditch, he didn't think that he was missing out on anything life-changing.

Hound and Monkey greeted them inside one of the lounges in the Hokage Tower with a freshly-brewed pot of coffee and a bowl of rice cakes. Monkey, true to its namesake, was perched on one of the chairs, legs drawn underneath its chin and fingers fiddling restlessly with its arm guard and mask. It jumped off the chair when Neji walked into the room, hand springing up into an awkward salute. Hound, on the other hand, merely graced them with a tired wave from its sprawl on the couch. Its mask was tilted to a side, allowing a strip of beard-covered jaw to peek out from underneath white porcelain.

Neji gestured for Monkey to take a seat, which it twitchily ignored. "Status report."

"Item delivered to Management, no problem." Hound grunted and roused itself on its elbows, twin wakizashi sticking out by its hip. "Mission's a success."

Jackal let out a huge yawn at the statement, hands stretched over its head. "Time to make love to my bed, baby."

"Remember to stuff back those holes in the mattress once you're done, eh?" Crane sneered from one corner of the room, hands crossed against plated chest and long legs bent into a squat.

"At least I use mine, you dickless prude."

Before the argument could escalate into something much worse (which it would, according to history – those two knew each other for far too long), Neji cleared his throat and stared pointedly at the two. Monkey fidgeted with its mask again as it sidled quietly onto a chair near the Hyuuga. Hound was probably already asleep, judging from its lack of physical reaction to Jackal and Crane's budding spat. Sometimes, Neji thought that whoever it was that drafted members for ANBU's squadrons must had harboured a massive grudge towards him. He had been assigned to the best subordinates in the whole division. Really.

Neji unhooked a scroll from his waist and tossed it at Crane. "Mission report. Tell them to re-evaluate the status. This one should only be classified as 'B'. Next time, send chuunins. Put that down in black and white."

"Yes, sir."

"You're all dismissed."

Monkey's hand suddenly shot up into the air right after the order, nearly knocking off its mask from its face. "Leader-sir! Um. Wait!"

Neji raised an eyebrow, suppressing a sigh. "Yes?"

"Message for you from Hokage-sama!" It fumbled with a compartment of its body suit, before triumphantly brandishing a small folded note and passing it to Neji with near visible childish glee. On first impression, one wouldn't have thought that it was a five year old child, instead of a killing machine.

"Thank you." Neji flipped it open and frowned at the order for an audience with the Hokage first thing next morning. He was supposed to have a day off after all the missions he had been assigned to lately and he wasn't in the mood to deal with Konoha's sometimes incompetent bureaucracy.

His life sucked really badly sometimes.

Jackal jerked its chin at the note in Neji's hand. "Any problem, boss?"

The Hyuuga shook his head and tucked the note into his weapon pouch. "Not _yet_." He turned on his heels and headed towards the door, pausing long enough to glance back and deliver a short 'good night' to his squadron members.

He needn't have bothered. The room was already empty.

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Tsunade looked up when Neji knocked on her door, her hand stilled over a jug of sake while another was crumpling a roll of papers that looked suspiciously like mission reports. There were stacks of paperwork precariously mounted around the busty female, though he was quite sure that the amount of empty sake jugs on the table could easily outnumber the papers if he were to take the trouble and count. Neji waited until the Hokage had taken a long swig from the jug before stepping into her office, kindly ignoring the crunched balls of paper (among other things) around an overflowing rubbish bin at one corner of the room. The office had never known tidiness since Tsunade took over, no matter how many attempts her exasperated subordinates had done to restore dignity to the room.

One of the stacks chose that very moment to avalanche onto the floor and Neji impassively stood before the table as expletives rang loudly inside the room.

This almost made coming to the place during his supposed leave worthwhile. _Almost_.

"Hyuuga Neji," Tsunade finally addressed him directly, sounding harassed and looking much worse. She jerked open a drawer and fished out a folder from its depth, tossing it at Neji in one careless motion. It felt heavy in his hand, bound with the customary black-green seal of Konoha and an additional orange-crimson one of Suna. The glaring red 'CLASSIFIED' stamp over brown cover made him arch an eyebrow. "This request came in late yesterday and the client specifically asked for you. Normally, I wouldn't give a shit about who the client wants – we know better than some politically-ambitious _toad_ when it comes to getting a job done."

Neji nodded politely and waited for the inevitable 'but'.

"But," Godaime sighed and leaned back into her chair, crossing her arms under the weight of her chest. "The client is currently here in Konoha to see your departure for the mission. I've been told that he's one of your _fans_." The emphasis and slight sneer on the word, and Neji had a hunch that she was somehow blaming him for this unpleasant twist of event. "He also happens to be a close relative to one of the Council's more obnoxious members and has the tendency to throw temper tantrums if his wishes are not carried out the way he wants them to."

"Seems easier to just assassinate him than follow his whims," he offered quietly, the corner of his lips quirked into a small smirk.

Tsunade laughed at that, raising her sake bottle in a mock salute and took a quick sip. "I'll consider that option once we get this settled. Bottom line is; one mistake in our part, one complaint from an influential client and the Council will have a reason to stick their noses where they don't belong. And I don't like noses, Hyuuga, or any other wrinkly parts of their anatomy in my office. I don't like being questioned how I run this village. _My_ village." It was quite a spectacular sight to see the Hokage being half-plastered and very pissed off so early in the morning and Neji wisely kept his opinions to himself. The long-running conflict between the Godaime and the Council was as infamous as one Uzumaki Naruto's property damage reports by then. She turned bloodthirsty eyes towards him and he was glad the wrath wasn't directed at him. "I assume you understand my position right now?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Neji relaxed slightly as those eyes turned a shade friendlier.

This was one person he wouldn't want to make enemies with.

"All the details you need should be inside there." She opened another drawer, retrieved yet another folder, much thinner this time, and placed it on the table. "You will be working alongside a kunoichi, due to the nature of this mission, but she's currently finishing an assignment for Intelligence. Should be done by now so you might want to arrange a pre-mission meeting. Up to you. That folder contains her basic statistics, areas of specialisation and additional notes from past co-workers. Get friendly with it. Departure is tomorrow, 0800 hour, East Gate. Your client will be there, unfortunately. Handle him the way you see fit, as long as I don't see a Council member in my office. Standard procedure applies, ask for backup if needed and pull out if the mission specifics provided by the client are in any way incorrect or impaired. We're running a business here, not a bravado show and I don't want any of my ninjas dead for stubbornly pursuing a screwed-up mission. Report to me as soon as you come back so I can arrange a short holiday for ruining your day off. Got it?"

"Perfectly." At least the Hokage had enough consideration when it came to the well-being of her subordinates, even if he did have to endure the much-dreaded client the next day. Neji picked up the second folder and stepped back, bowing as he did so. "If there's nothing else, I shall take my leave."

"Hyuuga."

Neji paused at the doorway and glanced back.

Tsunade was smiling softly, chin on her fisted fingers. "Be careful."

"Of course, Hokage-sama."

The door closed behind him to the multiple crashes of papers hitting polished floor (and another colourful rainbow of verbal vulgarity) and Neji flipped open the folder that held the identity of his partner. One of the waiting rooms was empty, save for a cleaning lady, and Neji slipped in, leaned against its whitewashed wall and ignored the smile sent his way. Underneath the glossy photograph of soft curves, warm grey-blue eyes and an '_I-know-something-you-don't_' grin was the name of his partner for the next few days. After a quick check to establish the fact that yes, this was an S Class mission and no, he wasn't seeing things, Neji allowed an almost inaudible 'huh' to escape his lips.

He certainly wasn't expecting Yamanaka Ino, of all people.

Chuunins, after all, weren't known to be assigned to S Class missions.

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**TBC**

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**A/N:** So. What do you think? Reviews are super encouraging and make my heart all tingly.


	2. Why Seduction Is Serious Business

**Title:** More Than Smoke And Shadows.  
><strong>By:<strong> Kaara.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Naruto is owned by Kishimoto.  
><strong>Rating:<strong> R, for language and sexual/as well as other things implications.  
><strong>Note:<strong> STILL HERE SOMEHOW. I don't even know, man. Thank you for the lovely reviewers! It's always great to get feedback!

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**Chapter Two: **Why Seduction Is Serious Business (But It's Not Porn).

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A floor of the Hokage Tower was dedicated solely for Intelligence, seeing that the department was under the direct supervision of the Hokage (after a disastrous near-mutinous reign of a disillusioned leader a few years back) and worked closely with Management, which dominated near half of the Tower with its overbearing highbrow politics. Tsunade had deemed it to be necessary to have the two departments under close scrutiny and announced her order right in the middle of a meeting with the Council members and heads of departments – she didn't want to deal with another attempt of rebellion or they would find out firsthand just _why_ she was named one of the Sannin and _how_ sandals could be pretty deadly in the hands of a master. Even non-ninjas had the misfortune of dealing with Tsunade's brand of persuasion.

A flustered receptionist greeted his arrival at the entrance of the Intelligence Department, slight blush tainting her tanned cheek as she stopped filing her nails to focus her attention on the Hyuuga. "Welcome to Intelligence! What can I do for you today, Hyuuga-sama?"

Neji sighed. Not another one. He shifted the folders to his other hand and fixed a level stare at the simpering girl. "I'm here to see Yamanaka Ino."

"Oh." Her face visibly dropped at that, and the smile turned slightly sour. "I'm sorry but Yamanaka-san is currently in a meeting with Tatsuki-san. Is this a matter of utmost importance? Should I inform her you're here?"

"It's okay. I'm done already." A cheerful, bossy voice echoed from somewhere to Neji's left and he tilted his head to frown at its owner, only to be confronted by the face of his future partner. The frown was still fixed on his face as the blond woman leaned against the reception counter besides him. "You're here because of the mission?"

Neji nodded, spine stiffening at their close proximity. The young woman obviously lacked appreciation for personal space. "Have you been briefed?"

"Yeah, this morning. But I was running late for something, so I don't really get the whole details. The mission's folder with you?" She stepped away from the counter when he nodded an affirmation and made a gesture towards a long-winding corridor. "We can use Shikamaru's office. It's pretty much abandoned by now. That guy's so lazy he doesn't even bother coming here anymore."

The way she spoke of the current Head of Intelligence – with fond exasperation one usually reserved for a favourite dumb pet – made him wonder what type of relationship the two had. He followed behind Ino, as the kunoichi prattled away on Shikamaru's lack of commendable attitudes, appreciation for the concern of his ex-team mates and fashion sense. Either way, Neji was starting to think that Tsunade had assigned the wrong person to the mission. It had happened several times before, as wrong statistics were pulled out by the wrong paper-pushers with the wrong clearances for the wrong ninjas. From talks circulating inside the ANBU grapevine (not that he made it a habit to listen but one could only spend so much time contemplating over fate and destiny before it got tiresome), those missions had resulted in disasters worse than Tsunade's gambling debts.

"Here we are."

Ino interrupted his mental tirade just as he decided to pay Tsunade a visit on his way back and Neji realised that they had stopped in front of a pair of impressive mahogany doors, a brass nameplate announcing the room beyond to belong to a 'Nara Shikamaru'. The kunoichi pushed the doors open and strutted in as though she owned the place, heading straight for a large table in the middle of the room. He followed in a more sedate pace, taking in the spacious, sparsely-decorated space and flood of morning sunshine from opened windows along one side of the room as he joined Ino at the table. He tossed the folders onto polished wood and stared expectantly at the young woman, signalling her to start. Best to give her the benefit of doubt for the time being.

"Let's see what we have here…" Ino broke the seals and flipped the folder open, slim fingers trailing over bold printed words and tapping at some of them in intervals. She sifted through the papers quickly, undisturbed by the status of the mission and exuding an almost disturbing familiarity with underlined warnings and italicised recommendations that littered those pages. In less than two minutes, Neji had the folder back before him. "So, Tsunade named you leader. What's the game plan?"

The Hyuuga raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Before we proceed, I'd like to ask you something."

Pale pink lips curved into a smile, as if she had known. As if his suspicion and curiosity were transparent. "Sure."

"Are you familiar with S Class missions?"

"Not really." Ino shrugged and propped her elbows on the table, leaning forward as the smile widened. "This kind of missions isn't usually S Class, unless there are missing ninjas involved. And those are bad news. Hard to fool, harder to extract information from and we'll need better backups if things go wrong. So the class gets promoted, higher-ranking ninjas dispatched and the pay increased."

Neji nodded thoughtfully, palms flat over the cool surface of the table. "Yet, you're still a chuunin."

"It's just a title." Her eyes hardened as the words rang inside the room, liquid steel swirling and coiling inside the confines of twin spheres. The smile was no longer playful, no longer friendly – sharp and cynical and jagged around the edges, reminding him that he was not only dealing with another ninja, but a _female_ one at that too. "I think that you, _Hyuuga-san_, should know that mere titles are no judge of abilities."

He allowed the jab to slide and inclined his head slightly. Yamanaka Ino came across as the typical chuunin he met everyday – a bit better than a genin, but not good enough to be promoted to a jounin. Her too-slender limbs betrayed her lack of physical strength and from the way her outfit was arranged, he'd assumed that she spent more time in front of a mirror than in a training ground. Not exactly the picture of a skilled ninja. But then again, perhaps his doubt had been unfounded – one could never tell being around those who made pretending a credible job. Sometimes, the masks fabricated were more believable than honest truth. Neji pushed the mission folder towards her and allowed his lips to form a small smile, an offer of apology. She would have enough time to prove his first impression wrong. "I trust that you're more familiar with the mission than I am?"

It was like watching reverse metamorphosis in lighting speed, when the butterfly reverted back into a harmless caterpillar and Yamanaka Ino was once again a genially smiling young woman. Neji wondered if all kunoichi exhibited signs of bipolar behaviour. He decided he didn't really want to know (the statistics might be frighteningly close to his current assumption). "It's simple, really." The folder was flipped open for the second time and Ino spread the papers over the table, pointing at several of them in particular. "Target, location, mission and execution. Client had already supplied the target and starting location." A paper with an attached mug shot of a redheaded female and lines of scribbled particulars was nudged his way. "Target won't stay long in one location if they're smart enough, so the next step is usually to just follow the target for a few days. To determine habits and reaffirm details given by clients. It's mostly precautionary measures."

Another paper joined the first one and Neji stared down at a map of several connecting towns and villages, as well as their affiliations to existing political groups and hidden villages. Ino continued on, sliding more papers his way as her lilting voice filled the room, despite her business-like attitude. "Politics. Don't want to cause unnecessary disturbances to our allies and all that. I cross-checked the location and two of the nearest towns already. I'm quite sure that there'll be no problem with another hidden village."

Neji trailed a finger over the dotted lines that zigzagged throughout the map and stopped at a black square labelled 'Konoha'. He was not well-acquainted with the dealings of foreign politics, disgusted even by the inner conflicts brewing within his own clan to care about others. "And if there are?"

"We're required to sit down and discuss the terms to complete both of our missions without compromising one another." She snorted derisively as she said that. "That's protocol, but nobody really followed it. It's more like 'first come, first serve' out there. Whoever's stupid enough to follow the rules gonna come back empty-handed."

"I see." He expected Ino to resume right away, but when silence stretched for a few seconds and counting, Neji looked up and shot a questioning stare at the kunoichi.

She responded with a wide grin, eyes lit with mischief and amusement. "You're quite the conversationalist, aren't you?" She waved a hand airily when hints of a frown started to appear on said Hyuuga's face. "Don't mind me. I think I've gotten too used to Genma-senpai running his mouth off and inviting me to midnight romps."

Another interesting fact and Neji's curiosity perked ever so slightly. Shiranui Genma was one of the special jounins, notorious for their ability to scrape through the most dangerous of missions alive and ranked second only to ANBU when it came to the number of A to S Class missions successfully completed. He had the opportunity to work with several special jounins, Genma included, in a mission back when he was still a jounin, and had developed deep respect towards said man. "You've worked with Genma-san before?"

"Several times," she nodded, her eyes softening at the name. "Saved my life once and thinks he's my knight in shining armour ever since. He's my usual escort if the mission's class exceeds B rank. But," Ino smiled beatifically, a picture of serenity. Like they were discussing dinner plans, instead of murders. "It's nice to have someone like you around for a change."

Neji hesitated for a second and graced her with a small smile in response.

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The town was small compared to Konoha (Ino called it 'boring and hopelessly bland'; Neji just sighed at her complaints) and they checked into an inn at the skirt of the town. The inn was a bit rundown and a lot inconspicuous, perfect for the mission. Their rooms were floors apart and Neji's was directly above Ino's, booked separately. It was a typical practice, according to Ino, as there was that constant need to keep the relationship between them secret in case something unexpected happened. She wouldn't want to jeopardise the mission by giving the target a hint that she was related to any hidden village. Neji relented to the suggestion with no more than a nod, and they parted ways when they neared the entrance of the town, anything Konoha-related safely tucked into Neji's duffel bag. They agreed to meet in one of the teahouses around the town centre just after dusk, enough time for Ino to assume her disguise and for Neji to make a routine sweep across town for any sign of possible disturbance that could jeopardise their mission.

The buildings were older and more dilapidated around the outer circle of the town, getting progressively newer and less ornate as Neji traversed inwards. He noticed that most of the civilians worked in factories located in one concentrated area just off the neighbourhood, huge blocks of featureless grey structures that churned ceaseless stream of smoke and the steady chimes of machinery. He strolled past one of the gigantic structure and slipped past the guards, who were mere civilians, only to confirm his suspicion; they were nothing more than typical factories. Textiles, to be more precise. Neji cleared the factories and headed for the seedier part of the town; a tangle of back alleys that housed none-too-discreet whorehouses, taverns and a collection of clubs. He shrunk further into the shadows once he spotted their target.

Karasuma Ren was an exiled royalty of the Fire Country. She had fled to the northern parts of the continent after a string of scandals horrible enough that they caught public attention and an order was issued that she was to be left alone, owing to her lineage. She would've faded into obscurity eventually but it was recently revealed that she had returned to the country with information thought to be damaging enough that a request was sent through the private line to have her knowledge erased without any physical damage. It was more political than anything else. Hence, Ino's mandatory participation, since her father was unavailable owing to a different mission abroad.

Neji found a teahouse not too far from the inn and he chose a secluded booth right at the back of the establishment, scanning the spread of customers as he waited for Ino. Sunset was a few minutes away and Neji took the moment of silence to reflect upon his recent mission partner. He had known next to nothing about her, other than a vague recollection that he had seen her somewhere in the Forest of Death, during the disastrous Chuunin examination years ago. She had not struck him as anything brilliant or above average then, he was quite sure of that, or he would have remembered her. She had matched him easily enough in their trip from Konoha, although Neji admittedly had not seen the need to rush. They were given a full week to accomplish the mission and if everything were carried out according to plan, they would be back with a few days to spare. The only thing he found disagreeable about Ino was her tendency to verbalise her thoughts, sometimes too much. Especially when he was used to the company of quieter comrades in comparison (Lee withstanding, as well as Gai-sensei).

"Is this seat taken?"

Neji frowned at the dulcet tone, more flirtatious than inquisitive and he turned to pre-emptively turn down whatever offer that might follow but the owner of the voice looked familiar enough that he paused. "Yamanaka."

"Hello, uptight stranger," Ino sing-sang, sliding into the chair across the table. The reason for Neji's hesitation was obvious; gone were the length of pale-gold hair and blue eyes that characterised the Yamanaka. She had dyed her hair a dark shade of auburn, pulled into a messy twirl of loose curls that tumbled carelessly over her shoulder. Her eyes were green, vivid and startling. "This town is _bo-oo-ring_."

Neji sighed. He poured tea for the young woman before him and nudged the cup towards her. "Are you always this high-strung?"

"You should see me during carnivals." Ino winked at him, all salacious charm and disturbingly bright grin. Neji made a resolution to avoid future festivities in Konoha, just in case. She took a sip of the offered tea and allowed a couple of patrons to walk past before their corner was deserted enough to venture a question. "So?"

"Our information seems to be in order. I've located the target."

Ino leaned back into her seat and her expression settled on vague disinterest. "And her bodyguards?"

"Adequate. Some of them are jounin-level though. Will that be a problem?" Neji watched Ino dismiss the information with a flick of her wrist and he accepted the response with grudging disbelief. They enjoyed a moment of silence before Neji finally succumbed to his curiosity. "Yamanaka, how exactly are you going to isolate her long enough to erase her memories?"

Ino languidly looked at him from underneath soot-black lashes, the corner of her painted lips quirked into a slanted smile. It looked as though she was laughing at a private joke and Neji returned her gaze with an impassive one of his own. "My special brand of persuasion, of course."

"And that is...?"

"I'll sleep with her." She giggled into her curled fingers and Neji noticed for the first time that her nails were green, to match the shade of her eyes. She looked younger than her actual age, more so when her expression was pulled into the facade of coy innocence she had adopted for their mission. He wondered if she had known beforehand what she would have to do when she was asked to go for this kind of mission for the first time. "Or at least, pretend that I'm going to. That should give me ample time to move around her mind."

Neji raised an eyebrow. "Seduction? But Karasuma is a—"

Ino's grin widened, cut across her face in a toothy line as Neji trailed into dawning realisation, punctuated by the slight blush that smoothed over his cheeks. She adjusted the straps of her dress, a cascade of summer red that accentuated her figure, the length of distractingly smooth skin and toned legs underneath simple frills. She laced her fingers together and leaned towards him, her head cocked to a side. "The profile stated her preferred type. Did you skip that part?"

"I didn't." He remembered reading something along the lines of '_brunette, green eyes_' but didn't think much about it. He was only there to supervise and if necessary, for backup, after all. The setting sun swept inside, painted bars of dark gold across their table and Neji calculated the time they had left before their next move. He searched Ino's face for any sign of anxiety, only to be greeted with placid green eyes staring right back at him. "Are you ready?"

Ino flashed him one of her bright grins in retort. "Let's get this show on the road."

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**TBC**

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**A/N:** Um. Long chapter of mostly exposition stuff. Action starts next chapter, okay. I think. Um. Yeah. Review and make me happy?


	3. Two's Company

**Title:** More Than Smoke And Shadows.  
><strong>By:<strong> Kaara.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Naruto is owned by Kishimoto.  
><strong>Rating:<strong> R, for language and sexual/as well as other things implications.  
><strong>Note:<strong> Man, I take ages to update. I apologise? I've been writing and re-writing this chapter on and off since the last update, so I'm not really sure what I'm aiming for since the plot changes all the time. Enjoy, somehow?

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**Chapter Three: **Two's Company (And Three's A Party).

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"Before we begin, there's something that we need to do."

Neji raised an eyebrow, taking a sip from his lukewarm tea. It was one of the cheaper brews, with a bitter aftertaste that reminded Neji of something he used to drink during overnight patrol duties to keep himself awake. "Yes?"

Ino curled her fingers over the beginning of a smile, a flash of jade against her scarlet lips and Neji found it slightly intriguing how he could only read her surface expressions once she had assumed her disguise. When they had first set out from Konoha, it was fairly easy to categorise and (to a certain extent) anticipate Ino's behaviours as he endured her petty complaints and shifts of body language. She had pointedly ignored his curt remarks about her inability to maintain silence and he had given up doing just that once he realised that she enjoyed baiting him. The woman was nigh impossible to work with and he was determined to discuss this particular discovery with the Hokage lest it became a frequent assignment. He was used to irritating companions (case in point, Rock Lee) but there was something about Ino that he found different. She pushed and stretched the boundaries around her, and she did it gleefully. Even faced with his disapproval, Ino laced her fingers together and surged forward, her body shifting into fluid lines that were both deadly and graceful. Her eyes held a peculiar glint as she regarded Neji quietly and he was prepared to make a cutting remark about wasted time when she slipped one hand over his, fingers twining. Neji recoiled under the physical assault, only made worse when he knew she knew he didn't like it.

"Let me touch you."

The quiet chatter of the tea house faded into the background as Neji scowled at Ino. One part of his mind pointed out that she was _already _touching him. Her skin was warm, smooth against his calluses and not for the first time he wondered about her preferred method of execution. She didn't seem to be one for physical exertions. "Excuse me?"

Her smile slanted sideway. "I can't?"

Neji stiffly untangled his fingers from hers and leaned as far back as he could manage. "I assume there's a reason for this."

"Of course. Your hands, please." Ino carefully removed their cups and the teapot to one side of the table, and she raised an eyebrow when she realised that Neji had not complied with her request. "It's either that or we can use our eyes. But since we're both using contacts, the transfer might be slower. Skin-to-skin is better."

Neji heaved an annoyed sigh and scowled at the young woman. "Yamanaka, _what are you talking about_?"

"You've used communication devices during your missions, right?"

Neji nodded, still quite unsure where this conversation was heading.

"What I'm going to do is to establish MindLink. I'm able to create a direct Link between my brain and yours. We can communicate telepathically for a specific amount of time." Ino traced a straight line on the wooden surface of the table, from her end to Neji's. He followed the progress of her painted nail until it was inches away from his hand. Ino tapped twice. "It's something I've been experimenting with."

"Experimenting?" Neji narrowed his eyes. "You mean it's not perfect yet?"

"It's stable enough," Ino retorted with a shrug of her shoulders. "Don't worry. I do this for most of my missions. The effect is temporary."

Neji didn't like the sound of it. There were quite a few things he would allow to be done to him under the demands of a mission but to grant access into his mind to someone, especially the likes of Yamanaka Ino, was a jarring decision to make. It was not something to be taken lightly; his mind was his own private fortress and Neji had long decided to keep it that way. Aside from the rare intimate conversations between his uncle and him (often punctuated by more silences than words), he pursued the quiet existence he preferred. He knew of the mindwalkers. Every ninja in Konoha did, with varying degrees of awe and plain unease, but it had never crossed his mind (how ironic, really) that he would be given the front seat to a live demonstration of the clan's ability. His apprehension must had been evident, despite his best effort to keep his face neutral, as Ino pulled back for a fraction of a second and sighed.

"Look. Technically, I won't be _inside _your mind. I'm only creating trigger points. Transmitter and receiver, using similar application like our communication device. I will be aligning your chakra to respond to mine and it's a lot quicker to do it through physical contact. I'm not going to delve deeper than the surface, Neji. I do realise how sacred a sanctuary it is, especially to someone as stuck-up as you are." He resisted the urge to bristle at her jab and reminded himself that it was just a part of Ino's brand of barbwires charm, something he had grown uncomfortably accustomed to. And she was courteous enough to explain the process to him; he conceded that it might be a peace gesture of some sort. "So far, the only downside is that the radius I can cover. You should stay within one kilometre range for the connection to be clear. More than that and we'll end up with static."

"This ability of yours..." Neji studied Ino's face carefully, digesting the information he had just received. "How long have you been able to do it?"

"Half a year. Give or take a couple months."

"Who else knows about it?"

"The head of my clan, that is to say, my father. The Hokage. The ANBU Captain. My mentor. My escorts." She shrugged and flashed him another one of her smiles. "And now, you. It's not really a big deal but Daddy goes batshit over clan secrecy and all that."

"I see. Are you absolutely certain that it is temporary?" He searched her face closely, tempted to activate Byakugan despite their current disguise. The contact lenses were uncomfortable at best and Neji felt oddly stifled with the translucent film of fake irises covering his birthright, masking his pale lavender eyes with a dark shade of brown. Ino had insisted on utilising a more traditional form of transformation instead of the customary henge, citing suspicion of a chakra expert being employed by their target as her main cause of concern. "And without side-effects?"

"Yes, I'm pretty sure," she replied, the beginning of exasperation colouring her voice. "Trust me, Neji. If I can trust you to keep me safe, you can trust me with your mind."

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Neji walked into the club and winced at the sudden onslaught of ears-splitting screams, the consistent thumping beats that ricocheted off the gleaming surface of the floor and wall. Once he was inside, he was pretty sure that this would be one of those missions where he would deeply regret agreeing to. The place was packed with people at various stages of intoxication, either from alcohol or the atmosphere or both. Tables were pushed to the side to make room for the dance floor and a small stage in the middle of the club, where giant mirrors were affixed to the ceiling and reflected a curious undulating miasma of limbs. Flashes of lights highlighted moving bodies dancing to the music, dark silhouettes coiling and turning like shadow plays with mannequins and Neji decided in two seconds that he wasn't a big fan of the social scene. How utterly and disgustingly pointless, to succumb to one's base instinct. He had to wade through the enthusiastic writhing mass and Neji made a mental note to burn the shirt and pants he was wearing, fearing that he might've picked up something venereal in the process.

He singled her out at the bar, easy enough because Ino was stretched sensuously over the polished surface. Hair fanning out over the gentle slopes of her shoulder, legs crossed and eyes hooded with the promise of something dark and sultry; clearly well-versed at whatever game she's playing. She was engaged in a murmured conversation with another young woman, who seemed to be a regular of the club. Neji noticed the way the woman leaned into Ino's space and the increasingly intimate touches they exchanged, hands sliding over bronzed skin and underneath silky fabric. Their words were swallowed by the deafening crowd but he could read something along the line of '_show you a good time_' from the way her lips moved. He slipped into an empty corner with a clear view of the bar and the dance floor, blending in with the shadows as if second nature. A tall glass of something brightly coloured was placed in front of him and Neji stared at it in distaste.

_Yamanaka._

He could almost hear her smile inside his head in response. It was decidedly bizarre and he resisted the urge to glance at her direction. As if talking to a disembodied voice inside his head wasn't bad enough. _Yes, ye of so little faith?_

And then Neji had to remind himself that she couldn't see it even if he scowled at her. _Target is on the way. ETA in two minutes. Four shadows with her. _

_Roger._

Her voice was slightly muffled but he picked out an undercurrent of unease, a nervous ripple that travelled through the link. It was the first time Ino sounded less than the cocksure tease he had endured for days and Neji stiffened in alarm immediately.

_Everything okay?_

_I'm not sure._ She trailed off for a second and his eyes flickered to the bar, where Ino was laughing at something the other woman had said. Her posture was still languid, inviting but he noticed how she had started drumming her fingers against the countertop. _There have been several disappearances in town since Karasuma landed._

_How is this information pertinent to our mission?_

He caught her eyes, a brief flash of brilliant green that cut through the space in between. Her face was shrouded in shadows, dark contours framing her delicate features and she was almost excruciatingly lovely in that split second. Neji snapped into attention when her voice filtered through his head. _The victims are— shit._

_What?_

_Target's here._

Neji turned to the entrance, sifting through faceless shadows until he spotted their target. Karasuma had cruised along the edge of the crowd, smiling indulgently at the writhing mass as it attempted to lure her in. She appeared to be alone, dressed in a rather masculine outfit that consisted of a long-sleeved silk top, rich burgundy with gold thread embroidery of an oriental dragon uncoiling across her chest, and pants of the same material, only in a darker shade. She carried herself with aristocratic grace even in the murky depth of the club, wearing an expression of sardonic amusement as she observed those around her. Neji thought that he knew her type; he had seen the same look on the faces of several Hyuuga Elders. There were faint chakra signatures trailing behind her, carefully masked so that it took even Neji several minutes to spot her bodyguards several feet away. They were inconspicuous in dark suits and Neji shrunk further into the shadows when two of them broke off to separate directions, presumably to sweep the club for threats as the other two settled close to Karasuma.

_I'm moving in. _Ino was being pulled to the dance floor by her companion and she resisted lightly, head thrown back in laughter. The voice inside Neji's head was precise and clinical. _Do you want to keep the channel open or would you rather not hear the gritty details? Might offend your delicate disposition or something._

There's a second of hesitation before he nodded at nothing. _Open channel. Be careful._

_Radio silence now. Gotta concentrate. Enjoy the show, o voyeuristic one. _

There was a sharp reprimand at the tip of his tongue but he swallowed it with a disgruntled sigh, tracking the movements of their target and her bodyguards carefully. Karasuma was heading towards one of the private booths when Ino had somehow manoeuvred herself to the middle of the narrow path, fear plastered over her face as her companion started to become more and more aggressive with her advances. Ino's protests were panicked, vulnerability and desperation rolling from her very skin as the argument escalated, which culminated in a cleverly-executed 'accidental' stumble against Karasuma. The bodyguards had started forward at the hint of trouble but halted when Karasuma glanced at them, the warning clear in her eyes. The companion looked bewildered and slightly incensed but before she could make a scene, one of the bodyguards herded her away, presumably to the exit at the back of the club. Neji fisted his hands as he watched the scene unfold, concentrating on the live feed currently running inside his mind courtesy of the MindLink.

"Steady, darling," Karasuma murmured and her voice echoed in the privacy of Neji's head, husky and tobacco-tinged. She coaxed Ino to stay upright with a gentle hand against her waist. "Are you okay?"

Ino shivered and darted a nervous glance at the direction her prior companion had disappeared to, pressing herself closer to Karasuma. "Y-yeah. She was— I told her I don't want to but s-she got angry and…" Ino smiled shyly. "Um. Thank you so, so much."

Neji didn't miss the quick onceover Karasuma gave Ino. "You look like you could use a drink."

"I…don't want to trouble you," Ino said timidly, sweetly. Her lashes were wet with unshed tears, dark kohl smudged at the corners of her eyes and she looked much too young to be left alone.

Apparently Karasuma thought so too. "Oh, but I insist. If you don't mind, that is."

"Thank you," Ino whispered, grateful and worshipful wrapped together and she allowed Karasuma to escort her to a booth. "I'm Yumi, by the way."

"You can call me Ren, darling."

Neji moved along the other side of the club, quickly finding a corner where he could continue his surveillance. He marked the positions of the bodyguards cautiously, even the two who were circling the club, ensuring that he was never in their direct line of vision. Ino was arranged to be close to Karasuma, thighs touching under the table and one of Karasuma's hands wrapped securely around her shoulder. She played it skittish at first, answering Karasuma's questions uncertainly but their target proved to be charming and it wasn't long before she had engaged Ino in a lively conversation about the merits of artistic endeavours.

Their small talks afforded Neji with enough time to move into another surveillance spot, away from the bodyguards and a pair of enthusiastic lovers.

A small moan resounded so suddenly in Neji's head that he jerked in surprise and knocked his knee against the underside of a table. He could feel the rush of blood to his cheeks when he realised that Karasuma had dipped her head to Ino's, pressing tiny kisses over the corner of her mouth and trailing along the delicate arch of her neck. Another moan joined the first one, followed by breathless sighs and murmured pleadings, and Neji wondered if his earlier request for an open channel had been a good idea after all.

He couldn't remember feeling this awkward his entire life.

_Still there?_

Neji scowled, still struggling to fight down the blush that threated to take over his face. _I thought we're maintaining radio silence, Yamanaka._

He didn't get a response to that, only a fleeting string of laughter from the other end of the Link. The next ripple of moans, however, was barely audible and Neji had a sneaking suspicion that Ino had muted the feedback somehow. It was another unexpected gracious gesture and he relaxed slightly, tense muscles uncoiling as the embarrassment ebbed away. Karasuma straightened up with a pleased smirk and offered a hand to Ino, who teetered unsteadily on her feet, face flushed prettily. It was the invitation they had been waiting for.

_Proceeding to Phase Two._

_Roger._

Neji scaled the building next to the club, found footholds in rusty pipes and navigated his way across the rooftops effortlessly. It was a cloudless night, the moon a giant silver coin against dark velvet and he kept his head a low as possible. He would've preferred more cover as he tailed them but Neji figured that beggar couldn't be chooser and he would have to improvise along the way. He dipped behind a chimney when a bodyguard glanced around and decided that an advantage would be necessary. The contact lenses came off and Neji activated his Byakugan, welcoming the surge of chakra and clarity in his vision with a small smile. He was rather good in chakra detection, had built an affinity for it through training but the Byakugan made his much better, sharper.

That was when he noticed a furtive chakra trail heading towards them.

_Yamanaka. There's an incoming._

_What are you talking about?_ Displeasure highlighted her mental voice and Neji glanced quickly at his mission partner, who had stepped into Karasuma's lavish apartment in the space of time it took for him to detect the newcomer. She was obscured behind closed doors and about a foot of concrete but Neji's Byakugan picked up her faint chakra (as well as her ire) clearly. _Okay. You deal with whoever that is. I'm pursuing the objective. It'll be quick._

Neji moved in parallel to the unknown ninja, quickly cataloguing discreet places where he could intercept without raising alarm. _Are you certain you can handle it?_

_Yes, Neji._ It was a novel experience to be subjected to an exasperated eye-roll mentally._ Now go._

Neji didn't need to be told twice.

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**TBC**

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**A/N:** Reviews because I obviously external motivation. You make me write (sort of) faster?


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